Enhancing Hydro Power Plant Efficiency through Hybrid-Optimization Approach

Abstract

The inclusion of hydroelectric power is crucial to Nigeria's overall energy mix, playing a significant role in electricity generation. However, the Shiroro hydro plant, one of the main facilities located on the Kaduna River, is currently facing operational obstacles due to deteriorating infrastructure and inadequate maintenance practices. To overcome these challenges and improve efficiency within Nigeria's hydroelectric power sector, a hybrid-optimization approach has been proposed. This study sought to enhance the efficiency of the Shiroro hydro plant by implementing this innovative method. To achieve our objectives and address pertinent research questions, a mixed research method combining primary and secondary data was employed. The analysis included hydropower modeling and hydro-turbine input-output modeling. Three optimizer models, namely the particle swarm optimizer (PSO), Ant colony optimizer (ACO), and Artificial bee colony optimizer (ABCO), were utilized to formulate objective functions and task representations. The study involved comparing the daily output and fitness response of the Shiroro hydro plant through swarm optimizer iterations. The findings revealed a clear correlation between the turbine's power output and the water flow rate and water column height, suggesting that altering these factors could significantly improve the plant's performance. The comparison of the PSO, ACO, and ABCO models demonstrated that PSO and ABCO generated optimal or near-optimal solutions, while ACO produced suboptimal results. Consequently, the study concluded that enhancing the Shiroro hydro plant's output was feasible by increasing the water flow rate and column height. Additionally, the utilization of PSO and ABCO models proved to be an effective means of accurately predicting the turbine's output. As a result, the study recommended the integration of hybrid optimization techniques to monitor and identify any deviations in the Shiroro hydro plant's daily power output. This approach would enable prompt maintenance to be carried out, preventing significant damage to the plant. Ultimately, this research contributes valuable insights into improving the efficiency and performance of Nigeria's Shiroro hydro plant.